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5 Reasons to Go Vegan Now

Many believe that a vegan lifestyle is complicated and won’t offer them the same satisfaction they get from eating animal products. Contrary to that belief, going vegan can actually bring the same satisfaction, same delectable taste, and will surely have more benefits.

Research done in 2012 found that five percent, or almost 16 million, of the people in the US are vegetarian. This number may seem insignificant but the data doubled since the 2008 report, where only 2.5 percent were following the meat-free lifestyle.[1]

The number of people who are becoming interested in a meat-free lifestyle is expected to rise due to a number of celebrities who are also into vegan food.

In 2014, Beyonce and Jay-z underwent a 22-day vegan diet. Many of their fans got curious and tried it with amazing results.[2] Other celebrities who are vegan include talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi. Even politicians are going vegan. Al Gore revealed in an interview in 2013 that he had embraced the lifestyle.[3]

Here are 4 things that may help influence your decision to go vegan now.

1. Reduce risk of cancer

A study conducted by Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation found that people who eat whole grains with plenty of fruits and vegetables have a lower risk of getting breast cancer.[4]

Other studies have also found that the decrease in eating meat, especially processed meat products, can often be associated with a reduced risk in prostate, colon, and pancreatic cancers.

2. Live longer and healthier

Aside from the reduced risk of cancer, a vegan lifestyle brings even more health benefits.

Loma Linda University conducted a study that involved the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, a religion where a vegetarian lifestyle is encouraged. The results of the study were telling. They found that the people involved in their research had lower blood pressure. In addition, they also concluded that veganism helps decrease the chance of hypertension compared to people following an omnivorous diet. [5]

Other health benefits of going vegan are a lower chance of getting diabetes and more glowing, healthier skin.

3.A way to find your significant other

Who said going vegan can’t help spark romance? A study conducted by Charles University in Czech Republic found that men who underwent the meatless diet were referenced as “more attractive, more pleasant, and less intense.”

Seventeen males underwent a vegan and meat-based lifestyle for two weeks in a month. They wore axillary pads, which 30 women were then asked to smell. The research concluded that chemicals and fats from eating meat may attribute to the body’s perceived body odor.[6]

4. Live a happier life

Happiness is more than just a state of mind; different healthy brain chemicals are involved in keeping your cognitive mind safe and sound. It is a scientific fact that zinc helps reduce depressive symptoms. The lack of this vitamin is also associated with depression and loss of appetite. Samples of foods that are rich in Zinc include pumpkin seeds and cashews.

Another vital element for happiness is magnesium. A lack of magnesium in the body may result in irritability, mental confusion, and stress. The mineral is responsible in supplying serotonin which is the main chemical involved in feelings of well being and happiness. Foods that are rich in magnesium include almonds, cashews, peanuts and spinach.[7]

5. Make the world a better place

Yes, going vegan would greatly help the world to become a more livable planet. A professor from Cornell University said that if 70% of the grain used to feed livestock in the US was fed directly to humans, nearly 800 million people would be able to eat as a result.[8]

Aside from that, going vegan will give you a chance to spare the lives of the countless livestock animals slaughtered yearly. Many of these animals experience very inhumane treatment and unprecedented stress.